Grandpa and his BF Avery A tractor I remember visiting Grandma and Grandpa Frederick's house as a kid and Grandpa would dig out the photo albums. We would go through and he would tell a story about certain pictures--I wish I could remember them all! There was one album with pictures of tractors, equipment and… Continue reading Grandpa’s Tractors
Category: Allis-Chalmers
AC Proving Grounds Tow Tractor
I bet many of you have one of those, “ahhhh I wish I hadn’t missed out on that,” moments. That’s exactly how I feel about not getting the chance to see this tow tractor that Allis-Chalmers had at the proving grounds. These units were towed, several at a time, behind behind tractors to… Continue reading AC Proving Grounds Tow Tractor
Bring on the Snow!
Okay, so it's officially winter in Wisconsin with our first significant snowfall of the year. Yeah, we got a little snow last weekend, but it was barely enough to cover the ground and melted the next day. We are getting a good dose of snow this weekend--6 to 8 inches by the time it's all… Continue reading Bring on the Snow!
Allis-Chalmers Betatron Lab
Every now and then I learn something new about Allis-Chalmers. One of those new tidbits I have recently discovered is the betatron lab the company had at the West Allis Works. Last year I had the opportunity to step inside this old testing lab and see some of the equipment left behind. The machine was essentially… Continue reading Allis-Chalmers Betatron Lab
Last Off Line
There are certain objects you can own that give you bragging rights in a community of enthusiasts. Maybe you have a rare painting signed by the artist or a campaign poster signed by a beloved U.S. president. In the Allis-Chalmers tractor community there are a few tractors that come with bragging rights: A prototype tractor, a… Continue reading Last Off Line
Allis-Chalmers Greendale Research Facility
In 1958, Allis-Chalmers announced that it would build a research laboratory for development and testing of nuclear technology. The 30-acre site chosen was a few miles south of West Allis in the village of Greendale, Wisconsin, a planned community built during the Great Depression. The facility consisted of 2 main structures totaling 27,000 square feet* of space for labs, office areas,… Continue reading Allis-Chalmers Greendale Research Facility
Allis-Chalmers Fuel Cell Tractor
Farm technology is a constant evolving industry. I think about how much the farm has evolved in one hundred years. In 1915 fields were plowed and planted with teams of horses; grains were brought from the field to be threshed on the dooryard; milking a small herd of cows was done by hand. Today, farming… Continue reading Allis-Chalmers Fuel Cell Tractor
AC Drafting Table
About 6 years ago I had the opportunity to acquire an awesome piece of AC history that I couldn't pass up. We restored a Farmall M for an implement dealership, and the gentleman who set up the restoration said he had a piece of Allis-Chalmers history I might be interested in. He showed me these… Continue reading AC Drafting Table
WAW Infographic
West Allis Works Building Directory
I've assembled a list of the buildings at the WAW that I was able to find. A big thanks to the West Allis Historical Society! If you have not been to the West Allis Historical Society, I highly recommend you pay them a visit to see more of their AC collection.